The Happening of After the End
by redrider1007
Summary: Yuri dies mysteriously during childbirth leaving Kail behind with their children. What would happen if Kail snapped? What is the fate for him and his children? Focused around Yuri's daughter, Sayuri. SayurixOC, OCxSayuri. Created after volume 24. Red Rive
1. The Death and The Plan

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Hey alright so this is my first Red River fanfiction ever so i hope everyone enjoys it!

Warning!!!!!!!! Spoilers up to volume 24!

Disclaimer: I don't own Red River/ Anatolia Story. If I did I would have finished the series by now. if anyone knows where I can find the 25th volume in English I will.... I will... ok so i've got nothing. But you'd become my bestest internet friend ever!

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"The queen has passed on… I regret having to announce this your majesty" the physician said solemnly to the nobleman crouched against the bed. The petite woman lying motionlessly in it had ivory skin the color of elephant tusk and jet black hair that gleamed in the sun. Also she had just died.

" The child is alive and doing well, it was a girl." A servant said entering the room. Hadi's pale face had red streaks from where tears had been and still were running down her cheeks as she stared at her masters.

"Yuri… my lovely Yuri…NO!" the stricken king yelled to those select few around him. Though he knew there was no point in shouting, there was no one there who could be empathic to his reasoning, yet he could not help bellowing his sorrow to the world. Why did she have to die? Was there some divine reasoning why such an alive and wonderful woman must be taken from him in the cruelest way possible? She'd survived with him through so much. The queen, getting shot, even through giving birth to their first miracle, Mali, so why did it come to this? How had her strength failed her? She'd never lift her smooth ivory hands to his face again and never again would she open her ebony eyes to look at him lovingly.

"Yuri …" he sobbed whole-heartedly. The palace staff stood with their heads bowed, those closest to her, crying softly. "Leave us." He mumbled into the sheets of her deathbed.

"Your highness, Queen Yuri is dead." Ilbani said bluntly from the back of the dimly lit room.

"LEAVE US!" he screamed hysterically at them causing each of them but the cold Ilbani to jump from his stubborn outburst. Hadi and the twins were the first to respect his wishes and hurriedly ushered everyone out of the room, including the protesting senators that were on hand. Finally persuading everyone in attendance to leave she quietly closed the door on the couple.

Why had she only lived three years after the dethronement and execution of Queen Dowager Nakia? She had been fine only the day before but clearly something unknown to the physician must have gone wrong if she had gone from being in good health to… he couldn't say it or even think it. He refused to believe that it was possible.

" I'm so sorry Yuri, I couldn't save you this time." He mumbled into her cold hands. The only things warming them were his tears as he cried into her. _There is nothing I can do to repent for this but I will join you Yuri. _He thought.

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The door flew open to expose his closest aids and some senators waiting for him to emerge from the room.

"Your majesty, I lament the pas-"

"Hand me a sword." He ordered gravely, rudely cutting off the chairmen.

"What, I'm sorry you highness I don't understand." He stuttered. The man had never seen the king act this way. He'd known him since his birth but never did he act so strained and utterly focused. What could he possibly want a blade for; there were things that had to be done in preparation for the Queen's burial.

" Give me a sword or blade of any kind!" he yelled desperately at them, his white face becoming tinged with red in his desperation.

"O-of course." Aygil stumbled to look for one to give to his impatient king with those around him simply staring in utter confusion. The minute he finally accepted one from a guard Ilbani understood. The reason for him wanting a dangerous blade.

"Kash, Mittanamwa grab him! Don't give him anything!" He exclaimed as he rushed forward to thrust the sharp sword out of Chairman Aygil's hand. They both grabbed the king as he made a lunge for the iron blade in Ilbani's hand but to no prevail, the weight of two men outdid his. Together they managed to drag him back and pin him against the wall as the Senators stared at their king. Never had they seen him so unstrung, they never would have imagined this outcome from one of the greatest emperors in their existence.

"Let me go Kash! Mittanamwa! I command it!" Kail yelled as he struggled to get free from their clutches. Relentlessly they held their master back though they were obliged to obey him. At last one of the maids couldn't look at him struggling anymore and strode up to him. Slapping him across the cheek as hard as she could.

"Do you think this is what Yuri would want you to do? To give up your life and your country for her sake? No! She'd want you to live to your fullest, and take care of those that she left you with. Your children!" Hadi sobbed through her own tears and distress. She and her sisters also loved their mistress who had forgiven them for all they'd done to her previously.

The man on the receiving end was in a state of shock as he listened to the girl lecture him. Finally standing still he heard a small choked up voice say,

"Father…?" Kail looked at the small blond boy beside Ilbani and grimaced.

"Mali…"

"Father, where is mother?" he asked, hanging onto the bottom of Ilbani's robe with his thumb in his mouth. Kail almost smiled when he remembered that he and Yuri had been trying to break that habit out of him. Mali's jet eyes were teary though at three he didn't know why. Just like his mother he had a way of telling if someone was lying or if there was something that they weren't telling him.

"Hadi." He said but all the while still staring at his beautiful son. "Take Mali and explain everything to him then come join us. Senators I will contact you later but until then I must ask you to please leave. At this time I need Ilbani, Kikkuri, the commanders, and the sisters. Now."

"Yes sir." They said and the selected group followed the king as he led them out of the Queens quarters into the Kings residence.

"Wait, Hadi quickly go tell Mali now and then hand him off to a nurse. When you return bring Juda with you." He said before continuing at the head of the small posse.

"Yes your majesty." She said as she picked up the crying prince and started walking back to his mother's room.

"Your majesty, what business do you have with Prince Juda?" inquired Kikkuri. They were in the King's bedroom sitting while the king paced the length of the dark room. His face they saw was as white as the moonlight that flooded into the room. To them it didn't seem that he was nervous instead he seemed to be in incredibly deep thought that only one aspect could waken him from. The prying senators hadn't wanted to leave the man who'd just attempted to commit suicide alone but they were overruled by Ilbani and the commanders promising to watch him closely.

"You'll see but until then I need to know something…where is my daughter?"

"The baby is in the queens chambers until we know who will take care of her. But excuse me your highness, what does this have to do with your current situation?" Shala spoke the question that was in the heads of all those in attendances but she had been the one to step forward and asked.

"Brother Kail, I'm so sorry to hear about Yuri." Juda said sympathetically as he and Hadi reentered the room. The king flinched as he said,

"Juda I need to talk to you alone. Now."

"Ah, yes."

"Leave us." He ordered to the rest of those he'd called with him and they dispersed to the hallway leaving him and his brother alone in the dark room.

"Wha-"

"Juda until Mali is old enough too rule, please take care of him in my stead.

"Brother you can't mean…"

"I'm leaving and taking Sayuri with me." he said looking out the window into the dark sky with the moon casting pale light on his solemn face.

"Sayuri is…"

"It's the name Yuri gave her before she…" Kail lapsed into silence and Juda continued.

"Brother Kail what about the empire and all you and Yuri have worked toward?"

"You'll manage it with Ilbani as a guide." He explained turning to face his brother once more. From the look in his eyes Juda already knew that nothing would persuade his majesty into submission and it was foolish to even try.

"Where will you go, the citizens will never accept your absence." He cried out to his brother, still knowing it was of no use. His eyes were glazed over and his usually warm, gentle smile was stone cold with pain.

"I'm not quite sure where yet but somewhere remote. Also though I refuse to run the country, I will command the army whenever you feel the empire is in great need of my skill. Send Kikkuri to me, he'll know where we are."

"Your majesty…" he protested softly.

"Just promise me Juda."

"Yes Brother Kail."

"Thank you Juda." Kail turned at last to face his younger sibling. "Tell the senators I've gone missing and you're to rule until Mali is of age. Never tell him that I'm theone leading the armies." He walked over slowly to Juda and embraced him. He never again wanted to enter this room, or this city again. Though he loved his son, his place was on the throne.

"Your majesty, I may never see you again so I say this, good luck and I wish you a happy life with your daughter." Juda hugged his older brother tightly around the shoulders for as long as he could. He wasn't sure if he was ready to run the country but above all else he wanted his brother to be happy, even after the loss of his one and only love. Perhaps he could find contentment by loving his daughter to the fullest.

"Good-bye Juda" the man stepped away and in a whirl rushed out into the hallway leaving the royal scent of lilac. In the hall it was clear that those waiting had heard everything that was said concern their solemn conversation. None, not even Ilbani, spoke a word of protest. The only thing that was said was "I'll go ready your horse." by kikkuri.

Entering his queen's rooms he picked out Yuri's favorite baby blanket and went over to the cradle in the center of the nursery. In it was his second child, a girl. Already she had her mothers black hair and if she had been awake he knew already that she'd have black eyes. Cooing softly, Kail dove into the cradle and picked the little baby up. Wrapping her in the blanket he set her in a sling, which he put over his shoulder so that he could carry her while they were riding. Holding her to his chest protectively, he made his way to where all his closest friends were and mounted his readied palomino.

"When you tell Mali don't explain where I am or that I'm leading the armies." He repeated to everyone. "When he's old enough to understand let him think what he wants of my decision but don't try to make me the bad guy." Grimacing ever so slightly he said good-bye and in turn they said,

"Good-bye, your majesty." The maids sobbed into their sleeves and turning back as he rode off he yelled. "My name's Kail not your majesty anymore." With that last word he passed through the gates of Hattusa, hoping that he'd never set eyes on it again.

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Review, you know you want to! Oh yeah and I haven't gotten a chance to go back and revise this, I will just not right now and Chapter 3 is already typed and I just have to upload it.

Sorry for killing Yuri! Gomen! I had to for my story!


	2. Tales From A Nomad

All right so this is Chapter 2 Hope you guys enjoy it!

"Tell me it again, Father! Again!" the five-year-old giggled as she rode on her father's broad shoulders to the bazaar. The child had black hair that contrasted her sire's so much that many wouldn't have linked them to be family and ebony eyes that reminded him so much of her mother. In fact, she was the exact copy of Yuri Ishtar, down to the last freckle.

"Which story Sayuri? There are so many I could tell." He laughed at his daughter's enthusiastic antics and tickled the bottoms of her bare feet causing her more giggles and squirming. Together they trudged up the path toward their small town and passed the first of the shops littering the streets. It was a warm summers day that invited many people to the market to shop and collaborate with their friends.

" The whole story of Ishtar! With the evil queen and the Mitanni and Egypt. Everything!" she ordered and pulled Kail's hair back so he would be looking up at her eyes.

"Please…" she begged with the most innocent expression on her face that he couldn't resist her request.

"Alright I'll tell you again." Smiling the man started to tell the story of the war goddess, Ishtar, that captured the prince's love. Stopping to rest the peaceful father lifted his daughter off his shoulders and gracefully sat down. Together they sat in silence, something that was rare for the girl since she usually talked nonstop.

"Excuse me miss, but may I speak with your father for just a moment?" A man with blond, chin length hair and freckles asked as he suddenly stood before them. The little girl couldn't recall ever seeing this person before and wondered if he and her father were related since they didn't resemble each other at all in appearance, but then again neither did she and her father. She decided not to bother with the details.

"Sure if you promise to tell me a tale that I don't know about Ishtar. Father knows lots but he doesn't fool me, he knows more." She said innocently to the surprised man. Both of the adults stared at her with evident shock in their eyes, because neither expected someone so small to be so cunning. Kail thought he'd done a good job fooling her throughout the five years. She was just as perceptive as her mother had been, who the king had never been able to keep a secret from.

"Ah- of course, Pri-" the man cut off after a dark look from the king that would silence anyone. The quiet that followed and the awkwardness went unrenowned to the girl as she glanced between her father and this stranger with an ignorant face but underneath she was calculating..

"Sayuri, will you go help out the ladies at the bakery? You know they love your help and I'll come get you in a little while, alright?" Kail requested as he put on a poker face for his daughter. He would rather die a thousand deaths than lie to a face that resembled Yuri's but if he was going to live this life then he was going to have to make excuses, no matter how much he didn't want to.

"Come on Father! You know that they like having you around more they want me you make them all stare. You can go though, the man has to tell me a story when you get back, he promised." She scolded him. Running up to her father she jumped into his arms and automatically he accepted her naturally into them. Planting a kiss on his cheek and pushing back his hair, which had grown to his middle back, she jumped down and skipped to the busy marketplace where she disappeared into the gathering crowd.

She knew that there was something different about the way her father was acting and though she would never voice it, she knew he had secrets that he didn't tell her. Most likely he wouldn't either. Sayuri was ready to accept that so they could continue their peaceful life and never worry over the past evils that might be in her precious fathers life.

"It's good to see you well your majesty. It's a shock to see you in common clothes. Your daughter looks exactly like her majesty. May she rest in peace." He observed as the two old friends walked back down the path out of town. The serene countryside was soothing the tensions out of the both of them and replacing it with the joy of reunion. Brother and brother, master and servant, it was the same difference for the two.

"What is it, Kikkuri? Surely the war with Egypt isn't that desperate for another general." He said bluntly, catching Kikkuri offguard and causing him to flinch from his harsh words.

"Unfortunately it is your majesty, and we need you in command or I fear for the country."

"And who will stay with Sayuri while I am gone?" he asked darkly. The idea of leaving his precious treasure alone absolutely repulsed him. What if something were to happen to her? He loved his daughter immensely since she was all he had left of Yuri except for his son, Mali. Yet no matter how much he loved his children, he'd left Mali to run the country and denied Sayuri her birthright as royalty. Now he was going to have to leave her too, even if it was only for a time.

"She'll stay with Ryui and me in Hatt-"

"Sayuri will never see or go anywhere near that city!" he turned to yell at Kikkuri in anger. "Never will she stand on the roof of the seraglio in a fine dress and look out over the empire! Never will she walk through the streets and watch as the army goes off to defend her country! Never will she see her mother's tomb! Never Kikkuri!"

The two went silent as the forlorn man shouted his last protest. To the messenger it was clear that his former master hadn't yet gotten over the death of his lover, the girl he'd rescued from the spring. In the five years that had passed since he'd left the capital, that hadn't changed, the pain hadn't faded. He'd just hidden it deep inside his common merchants face and life. His royal bloodline and his daughter's nobility, he cared about none of that but the one guilt that he would regret all his life was denying Sayuri the identity of her birthmother. How he wished to tell her about her mothers looks and how much he loved her.

"Then we'll come here, I promise your majesty your daughter will be safe with us." He tried to reassure him and reached tentatively out to touch Kail's arm.

"Hmm…" the king folded his arms over his chest and pouted as he thought about this new condition. This remote village was far from the frontlines so he was sure Sayuri would be alright physically, however she had never been away from him and if she was anything at all like Yuri then she wouldn't want to be away from him for long, but then again if she was like him then she might be a little tougher and be able to handle this.

"Alright, as long as Sayuri never leaves this village and you promise to protect her." He complimented at last. Kikkuri visibly sighed and smiled at the concerned father before nodding. "Then how about telling me other things, Mali is eight now so he must have already started training. How is he doing?"

"He's been doing fine. When you left we were a little worried when for a month he wouldn't speak to anyone but Hadi managed to get through to him. She is like a second mother to him, but he'll never forget Queen Yuri. Beside that he been well, he is also very smart and cunning, he beats many of the fully grown soldiers just because he can see their weak spot within a thrust."

"I don't know where he got that from, Yuri and I can't do that." Kail pondered and Kikkuri continued.

"Well it might have something to do with the fact that Kash, Mittanamwa, and Rusafa are training him personally."

"Very true." He reckoned. "Now what about you Kikkuri? You said children so Tito now has a younger sibling?"

"Yes! Fours years ago Ryui had a daughter, Salma. She's a year younger than Sayuri."

"Congratulations!" Kail smiled happily at him and looked up at the position of the sun. "Oh, I'm sorry, I need to return Kikkuri, we have to discuss this with Sayuri too."

"Of course your majesty."

"I am no longer an king and your are no longer my aid so don't use titles with me Kikkuri." The man laughed sadly.

"I'll try but somehow I doubt I'll succeed." He reckoned as the specified child jogged up to them gleaming with delight. Her ivory face was softly flushed both from running and from excitement and they could make out bits of batter on her face and in her hair.

Do I get to hear a story now?!" she asked, thrilled by the prospect of a new tale of adventure. The men stared at the likeness and smiled hesitantly.

"Daughter, I'm going on a trading mission for a while and Kikkuri," the king motioned to the man standing beside him. "And his family are going to take care of you while I'm gone." They watched the girls face slowly darken at the idea of being alone with friendly but unknown man. Now he was going to live and provide for her while her father was off on some unknown mission? Yet her only father wouldn't put her in danger, he'd never leave her with someone of whom he didn't trust with his life, and her own as well!

The two adults looked at her silently as she pondered the situation, at first she'd looked repulsed but now she was apparently starting to reason it out and didn't look so apprehensive.

"Alright since Father trusts, I trust you." She said solemnly and then smiled. " Take good care of me, alright?'

"O-of course! I'm sure you'll like my children as well." He stuttered. Turning around the girl started to skip toward the dusty road in front of them leading to their house, not remembering the real reason why they went into town.

So tell me how this chapter was! Oh and by the way, when I wrote this, I'd only read up to the 20th volume so sorry but only Ryui is with Kikkuri! Chapter 3 is all ready written so I just need to edit and post!


	3. The Missing King

The Missing King

The war ended only to be followed two years later by the Assyrians attacking and so once again Sayuri was left under the able care of Kikkuri and his family. Some miscalculation and come up and now they were on the offensive. She didn't mind much anymore, the man had been so kind to her and Ryui, Tito, and Salma soon became close friends. Ryui like the mother she never knew and her children like siblings. Tito was just a year older than her and Salma was five. Sayuri loved to play with them all day but they just couldn't help her when she was sick from loneliness that grew brighter and more painful with each passing day her father was gone. They received encouraging letters but it wasn't like the real thing to her.

"Tito, Salma hurry up, come on! Kikkuri said he'd tell us a story. Let's go." The excited girl said as she ushered the siblings over to where their father was leaning against the house while taking a relaxing break from gardening. His garden was small and provided just enough vegetables for the whole family. Her father would take care of it usually but when he was gone the duty fell on Kikkuri. Tito and Salma also enjoyed the stories told to them by their father as well but they didn't have the attention span that Sayuri did. They fidgeted and didn't listen the whole time while Sayuri listened attentively with her hands in her lap. Nothing could tear her away from the tales of gold maned horses and glittering jewels and fine gowns. How she would love to touch them and stroke their smoothness, it was more than she could ask for. To see the king would certainly leave her breathless at his ability and beauty. She didn't know why but such an important person she guessed must have been handsome.

Running up to where he was sitting Sayuri sat right in front of Kikkuri with Salma and Tito at each of her sides. Looking up innocently the girl expectantly sat.

"Can't get anything by you can I, Sayuri? Alright, what do you want to hear about?" he laughed as he wiped sweat and dirt from his sun burned brow.

"I want to know something new about King Kail and Ishtar! I want to know everything!" she said gleefully and her companions nodded enthusiastically.

"But I don't know that much!"

"Oh yes you do, Uncle Kikkuri, you know lots! Tell us, please?" she begged and unconsiously made puppy eyes.

"Well alright, how about I tell you how Queen Yuri came to be known as Ishtar?"

"Yes! I haven't heard that one before." Sayuri exclaimed and then went into listening mode.

"The Kashugas attacked Alina soon after Princess Yuri came to Anatolia and so in order to protect his majesty decided to bring her with him to the battlefield. However no one knew much about her, they thought she was merely a concubine and therefore didn't want the king to bring her. So they day they were to leave the prince lifted her up on her shoulders as if she were weightless and said, _I put it to you, my soldiers! This girl sprang from the sacred spring as Ishtar, the star of the morning, rose! As you know, Ishtar is a goddess of war. Is she not a gift from the goddess?! I say, while she is with, our armies will prevail! _That man was always a charismatic speaker. He said that just so he could take her with him but over timeit became known to the entire orient that the goddess of war was in the hands of the Hittites. Though originally it was a lie, in time she proved to truly be our heroin through hard times." He finished and the party looked up as they heard someone come up and say,

"Kikkuri! We just got a tablet! The war is over! Assyria has fallen and accepted a peace treaty." Ryui came running up while the children stared at the interruption and smiled happily all the same. Even they, young children with little knowledge of war, hated violence and were relieved whenever a war ended. The tension that had been hanging on the town for months had suddenly lifted to form a peaceful existence. The empire would mourn, as it always does after a battle. To mourn for those lost and those now scarred and mutilated by the harshest form of anger. Yet all would continue, the country would prosper; babies would be born, not like the king. His castle had fallen long and now all he guarded was his sacred treasure, which was all that was left of his humility.

"So Father will come home now?" the child asked, already knowing the answer before hearing the lie. Her mysterious father always left on hi "trading missions" right as the war went into full swing and then returned shortly afterward. Maybe this was a good time for trading, she didn't know, but her caretakers would never tell her the truth so assumptions were her best bet.

"We don't know when your father will be home, Sayuri." Ryui said gently after a period of silence. The statement was only half true, as she knew. The exact date they knew was undetermined but they knew as well as she did that it would be soon. "We haven't gotten word from him yet but we'll tell you when we do."

The subject was then brushed off as quickly as the wing brushed a leaf. To make up for the awkward silence all of Sayuri's questions seemed to bring Kikkuri asked, "Do you want to hear more about the king?"

"Well… I guess. How did the king go missing and where is he?" she resigned herself to her fate. She'd never know what her father was really doing, so why bother? Clearing his throat Kikkuri got ready to tell another tale while Ryui left to go about her business.

"When the queen died the king was overtaken with sadness-"

"What caused her death?" Tito interrupted.

"Childbirth and at first he wanted to join her in death but he was persuaded by his son out of it. Instead he ran away from his post as the king. When she died he lost his fire and no longer wanted to run his kingdom so he turned it over to his younger brother, Juda, and even gave his son up." He said sadly but then gained more resolve. " Now don't think he was a coward, he was overtaken with the possibility that after the queen dowager died that there was a threat to her life. Her suddenly dying made him go suicidal."

"I understand." Sayuri said for the first time in her life interrupting a story. "She was all he had and she died at such a young age and unexpectedly that he was shocked that it really happened so almost refused to believe it. Yet how could he be so stupid as to try and kill himself, that's not what Ishtar would have wanted, I'm sure of it. She would have wanted him to live out his life happily even if she couldn't have been with him."

After her speech was finished everyone stared at her especially Kikkuri and Ryui, who had come back to hear her. It was as if the spirit of Yuri had had invaded her only daughters body. They seemed to have been just speaking with the goddess of war, instead of her seven-year-old daughter. If that wasn't odd enough, she looked exactly like her mother making for an uncanny result.

"Ah, y-yes you're probably right. Anyway I have to get back t wok so you kids go play." He stumbled as he tried to think what to say after such an assessment.

The day went on normally as it should have as the sun set on the country. The three children played outside the rest of the day even though for Sayuri the fact was unimportant compared to the story they'd just heard. Her vision of her hero hadn't really changed all that much but now she saw him as a more fragile man that's emotion were wrapped around Ishtar's finger though shedoubt Ishtar had known it.

The family had all gone in but she. Knowing she would have to go in soon but wanting to enjoy the cool evening breeze, stayed. The girl lay down in the tall grass and let the wind toss her dress and black hair that reached her mid-back wildly around. She gazed at the sinking sun and pink sky. How she would love to hold that gleaming, warm ball to her heart and see all that it had seen. It warmed the green grass under her and opened the flowers to see the beauty of the world

Sayuri closed her eyes and imagined what it would be like to have all of her family together. Her father smiling and looking a some woman with an unknown face that loved them both and took care of her as only a mother could. Caught in her own daydreams she never heard anyone walking down the path toward her house.

"Sayuri!" a voice called to her, causing her to start from surprise. Quickly sitting up she turned around to see the face of which she knew and loved like no other in the world.

"Father!" she shouted at the man. Jumping up she galloped up the hill to him and threw her arms around his waist. She was so petite that at seven she seemed to be about four and so he picked her up and held her close as Kikkuri's family strode out after hearing the two yell at each other. Her father was covered in grime and dirt from the road that only a weather worn traveler would be able to accumulate and Sayuri's hands brushed his hair back, causing a mountain of dust to fly up.

Sayuri was so happy that he was home that she involuntarily started to cry and tried her best to hide her face in his shoulder and wipe them away but to no avail. Kail saw her and rocked her back and forth as he did when she was small, well smaller, and murmured, "I'm home, I'm home baby." into her neck while stroking her hair. And he was.


	4. The Hedge Witch

All right, here's your next chapter my friends, enjoy it! I apologize for this chapter's lateness but the matter wasn't in my hands since my memory stick is dead never to live again and so now I have to use my other one. The next is that for some reason I couldn't get on my login page and I wondered is everyone else was experiencing the same difficulties since there hasn't been any new updates and there is always and update. So yeah here it is.

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The Hedge witch

A crying child of nine ran blindly through the dusty streets, past hordes of staring people though none reached out to ask her what was the matter. Some were people she'd seen everyday all her life whilst there were some she just laid eyes on and this would be the last time she ever saw them again. All that didn't stopped to glance at the back of the fleeing black haired girl as she raced past them. The permanent residents shouted after her but allowed her to run, fearing what plagued the poor girl from behind their booths.

_Ouch, _many of them thought as she ran straight into a woman but due to her size, as small as she was, barely bumped her.

"Child, now why are you crying?" the old woman asked, Sayuri the woman's iron gray eyes with her black ones, full of innocent youth. The small inkling almost immediately grabbed her round the waist and hugged the woman close as hard as a nine year old could manage. This motherly figure provided warmth her father couldn't give, no matter how much he tried.

"Come, let's go dry your eyes and brush those tangles out of your hair.' She said and picked her up as if she weighed nothing. She probably did but that was beside the point. Together they walked back down the street the way Sayuri had come and went into an adobe building where the woman set her down on a bed and went to a chest.

"This was my mother's brush that she got in the capital twelve years ago. She died just last year and gave me this. See? It has the engraving of the king's flag on it." She elaborated and glowed as Sayuri gently brushed the impressions on the comb. The wooden handle had the picture of Ishtar on it, a flag that she had never seen since it was now Prince Juda's flag. After the king went missing the more conservative senators insisted the prince take the thrown, which he promptly denied, telling them he would act as a steward till the younger heir was of age.

"It's so pretty…" Sayuri murmured and the old women gleamed at the compliment before commencing to brush the knots out of her wind blown hair.

"My own mother used to do this to me each night before I went to sleep." She explained with her crackly voice but that unfortunately made the little girl cry harder and tremors shook her whole body with each sob.

"My father won't tell me about my mother. He said she died giving birth to me but won't say anything else. It's not fair!" she gasped, snatching one of the biscuit from in the bowl on the table and started to nibble on it.

"Sayuri, you want to know about the night your father first came to this village?"

She nodded vigorously.

"Well, it was during the rainy season and it was indeed raining. Everyone was already in their houses and asleep but I was coming home from delivering medicine to a family with a sick baby. I was trying to hurry, it was so cold, but I could only go so fast when I heard a horse approaching, and fast too. Down the street came a man riding with a baby not two days old, you. He was so sick from the storm, who knows how far he'd been traveling. So I had him put his horse round back and brought him into this very house." She told her. Sayuri had stopped crying now and was pleasantly listening whilst eating.

"I barely had time to wrestle you from him before he passed out on the bed. Not from exhaustion, though that played a hand, but his fever was higher than I've ever seen one. You were in much better condition than him though you hadn't had enough milk and were crying from being taken away from your father's familiar warmth. Babies are said to know who their parents are and instinctively feel safe with them. So I gave you to a young mother to feed in a nearby hut and nursed your father. Suddenly though then strangest thing happened," she stopped and Sayuri turned around to see what the matter was. The old woman had a crinkled hand up against her face and seemed to be pondering something.

"The door flew open and a blonde man waltzed in, looked at your father in the bed and then said sorry for barging in and left. I wonder if he knew your father. Anyway so after that, in the morning your father woke up and almost passed out again when trying to get up so fast. He didn't know where you were and it wasn't until he saw you being that he calmed down enough to speak. You stayed with me while he built your house, with the help of some other men that is." Sayuri turned around again.

"Did he tell you anything about Mother?"

"I did ask him, but all he said was that she died on the same day as Ishtar."

"So I was born the day Queen Yuri died." She whispered in amazement at the thought. "What is your name Auntie?"

"Fatama child, now I think your father will be worried so why don't you put his mind at rest. Just tell him Old Fatama set you straight." She instructed and grunted as she picked her old body up and shuffled Sayuri to the door where they both saw a worried Kail in the street outside.

"Kail!" Auntie Fatama called and he looked over. Instantly his face lit up in relief and he quickly jogged over to where they were standing in the doorway.

"Sayuri… so this is where you've been! I've been searching everywhere." He gasped in satisfaction at finding her and smiled at the young girl.

"I'm sorry, Father." She apologized and jumped into his ready arms fluidly. He gazed over her shoulder to the woman standing in front of him.

"Fatama." He nodded in greeting.

"Kail, you take good care of your girl, she's awful sweet." She said sternly and he once again nodded his thanks. "Don't deny your daughter information, Majesty." She laughed quietly as Kail frowned slightly and it was all he could do not to tense in this awkward situation. Luckily though, his daughter came to his rescue without knowing it.

"Heeheehee, he does act like a king doesn't he? He stands really tall and walks all funny." She giggled and the king put her down at her bidding and she exaggerated his walk. Puffing up her chest and throwing back her petite shoulders and walking slowly.

"Hmm." He grunted and without another word took her hand and gently led her back down the street.

* * *

Tadaa! This was a kinda short chapter and the next one might be too but after that they'll get much longer, I promise you.


	5. Merchant's Battlefield

Here's the next chapter. This'll be another short one but they'll get way longer from here on out. So enjoy!

* * *

Restless. God how she hated being restless, especially when there truly was nothing to do. When there were things to do, even if she didn't want to do them, they got done. However when there truly was not one thing to be done, it drove her crazy. Never in her life had she ever had the notion to leave the town that she'd never before left. The safe valley of which was her sanctuary and home. And never had she felt so angry with her father, he was being way too overprotective she thought. At the tender age of nine she asked her father to teach her swordsmanship and he was happy to agree. Her skills had surpassed his own by the age of fourteen. Now that she was sixteen she knew everything from cooking to sewing to medicinal practices and archery, but he still said the same thing.

"Father I want to be more of a help to the country," she'd stated, "I want to join the infantry and fight for the king." At first he had brushed it aside uncomfortably instead saying that the empire didn't have a king and that she was too young anyway. At dinner that night though he'd snapped.

"Absolutely not! Do you know how difficult it is to survive a war? You always have to be watching, never letting your guard down for a moment. It's too dangerous." He'd bellowed at her. They'd been having a quiet supper, which wasn't very quiet anymore.

"Ishtar fought in many wars, why can't I. She protested, trying to reduce her voice to a normal level while her father wasn't but wasn't succeeding.

"Ish-, Yur-, She was different!" he stumbled. "She was older than you and protected at all times, you wouldn't be so, no!" After that he had gone to his room and shut the door not appearing the rest of the night so as not to have to think of her proposition.

That left her trudging to the village alone the next morning after she spent the whole night sleeplessly, very much annoyed. Sayuri passed by shops having just opened and now bustling with activity, all the while hearing the gossip of the town.

"Did you see?"

"Yes, yes the price of wheat…"

"Good Morning…"

All that babble meant nothing but as she passed by another group she suddenly pricked her keen ear to listen.

"Did you hear? There's a recruitment going on in Hattusa, there is a need for more soldiers in the army." An old man who she knew was saying to some younger travelers as they passed by his shop with their swords. Sayuri walked up to him and inquired,

"They're taking anyone? Is the war really that desperate?" she asked the shocked and bewildered group. They looked sideways at each other before carefully replying.

"Anyone who can handle a sword, apparently they want an infantry unit always on stand by." One of them said, clearly not understanding why a young woman, a very young woman, would want to know something like that. "Why would someone like you want to know that?" a red headed one said reproachfully.

"Someone like me?"

"Yes, a young woman has no reason for wanting to know about the capital. You're to be working for your father or husband as it may be," he laughed once, "unless you're some prostitute that is dying to get away from costumer by seducing him into wa-" he was cut off when suddenly the tip of a sword, her concealed sword, came up to graze the base of his throat.

"Don't you dare," she ordered through gritted teeth, "Insult me that way."

"Get away from me bitch. You can't even use that." He slurred as he pushed away the blade.

"I can to use it!" She shouted, catching the attention of the people who weren't already watching the scene play out. The shop owner was glancing between the two nervously and the brawler's friends were staring at them with amusement gleaming in their eyes.

"Oh really, then prove it little girl! Beat me and I'll admit you can handle a sword." He challenged and flinched slightly as a freakish grin spread across Sayuri's face.

"Great!" she smiled and started to skip off down the street toward the edge of town, wouldn't want to fight in the town and cause a ruckus. The shopkeeper ushered after her and the group of ruffians followed after them.

"Sayuri what is the matter? You know the last time you got into a fight for no reason you got into trouble with your father." The keeper asked as her trotted next to her. She was fast for a short girl and even the younger villagers couldn't keep up with her.

"I can't stand it when people look down on women, it isn't right!" she said frustratingly and the shopkeeper didn't know what to say besides shaking his head. She had odd outlooks on rights, women had always been below men and that wasn't going to change. He knew of no woman who opposed there standing, well Ishtar did but she doesn't count. They'd reached a plain of grass just outside the outskirts of the village and the ruffians, along with Sayuri and a few people who came to watch made a huge circle, like an arena. Just the red haired man stepped forward and Sayuri took out her blade again as they began to circle each other and got ready. Sayuri got into a defensive position and the man laughed at her immediate movement.

"You scared girl?"

"Nope."

"Then why don't you attack?"

"You'll see, go on, attack me." She grinned evilly again and the crowd was a little unnerved at how much she seemed to be enjoying this. As if on cue the man jumping forward with his sword raised above her head, she's dead, the audience thought and some closed their eyes as Sayuri stood there as if to take the blow.

"Move Sayuri!" Someone in the crowd yelled and she did indeed. Sliding to the side she allowed the burly man trip passed her and the crowd had to move in order to get out of the way. Growling he turned around and ran back again at her full speed, kicking up red dust. He thought he had her then, she waited so long until she at last jumped out of the way and this time he fell trying to stop. This was starting to entertain the watcher and they laughed, even the man's friends did.

It turned into a dance of swords, he got better at staying upright and soon he was swings every step he took but none landed and they hadn't yet clashed swords. He was getting tired though and his movements were sluggish while hers had been continuously swift. Comments started spouting off when he got desperate. Bitch, whore, he started to insult her friends, family, everything he could think of that would annoy her. She was not one to fall victim to criticism though.

"You're the daughter of a bitch." He yelled.

"Sayuri finish the now and I won't tell your father I saw you picking a fight." A voice yelled from in the crowd and almost immediately when he launched himself at her she didn't moved and instead lurched into his leap and the audience couldn't see what happened, only that the rapscallion's sword was in the dirt some distance away and he was on the ground. No blood though, that was something she refrained from doing.

"Say it." She ordered coldly as she stood over him. The rest of his group had slipped away when it ended, the cowards.

"You're good."

"Don't underestimate women again."

"Yes."

"Okay then." She smiled suddenly and not the odd grin she had before but a dazzling one that lit up her whole face and even the man glanced twice at it. She hadn't even broken a sweat, how pitiful. She turned around and saw the source of the voice during the match.

"Kikkuri! Ryui! Salma, Tito!" she greeted them and rushed over to hug the family, leaving the man on the ground. She was happy to see them again.

"What do you think you're doing Sayuri? You shouldn't be fighting people. What would your father say if we told him?" Ryui scolded.

"They insulted me as a woman and underestimated me so I taught him not to. I didn't hurt him." She explained as she linked her arm through Ryui's and started to walk back to her house, Ryui'd taken the place of her mother over the years and she was the one she was most comfortable with telling anything.

"You still shouldn't do that Sayuri."

"Oh well." She relented and they all walked in silence for the rest of the way. If what the men had said was indeed true then even though her father had rejected her idea a solution had just been handed to her on an iron platter. The war would call her father off on another one of his missions and so she could slip out f the house with ease. Her father was a light sleeper but she used to go fishing in the very early morning because the family would never wake up. She'd never be able to pull this off if her father was home.

'Does this mean father is going on another trading mission?" she now asked innocently, having just walked up to her house and before she got her answer her father came out of the house. She sighed at his expression.

"Yes, I do have to go. I'll send a letter t you when I know when I'll be back." He said sadly. Sayuri knew that this is what she needed but she felt the same loneliness she always did right before her beloved father left.

"Oh…" was all she could say and Kikkuri's family could only look on in sympathy. "Are you leaving right now?" she asked quietly so as they all had to lean in, in order to hear her.

"Yes, I was expecting this so I packed already." He said. His face was solemn and it was clear that he didn't want to leave right after their fight. She was so touched to see him like that, that summoning up her pride she let her guard down and she rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly. She was still so short that the top of her head only reached his shoulders and she didn't see herself growing any taller. He slowly put his arms around her as well and lovingly held her. Though he knew was gone, holding his daughter reminded him of Yuri.

"I'll be back in a while. Until then, don't get into any trouble" he ordered sternly but then lightened up. Going behind the adobe house she went into the single stall and undid the tether on his horse and brought it around front to where everyone was gathered. While Kikkuri held his palomino he jumped on and accepted his bag from Ryui. Looking at his only daughter he tried to smile but only managed to grimace at her reassuringly. He loved her black hair and smooth skin that was so like her mothers. To protect and shield her from the terrors of the world was his life's goal but not at the moment. She would be safe here and he was inclined to lead the army. Each day would be a struggle not to jump on his horse and return to her and with each passing day he would get lonelier and lonelier till he was sick with loss and sadness. Yet he would go on until he defeated whatever evil threatened his country.

Looking over his shoulder he centered on his daughters face of which tears were streaming down. His own contorted in pain but he kept riding toward his merchant's battlefield.

* * *

Stop crying. This does you know no good. Stop crying. Sayuri kept telling herself as she watched him go. This wouldn't help her when she left and what was the point? He was leaving. Sighing she walked back to her room and laid down gracefully. She just wanted to forget that he'd ever left so she let her mind wander. How was she going to run away and somehow get to Hattusa? There were dangers everywhere that she would have to watch out for.

Hearing someone walk into her room she opened her eyes to see Tito. He had grown tall and buff in the years they'd been apart she noticed and it made her smirk a little knowing how she'd been his first kiss. She had been eight and he was nine and it was only because of a bet but it was still a kiss on the lips.

"You have an excellent poker but do you think you can fool me? I know that you're hiding something." He said bluntly and leaned forward to where he was almost overhead. She blushed but tried to answer as calmly as she could.

"I'm not hiding anything! Anyway, have you ever been to Hattusa?" she spat out and did her best to change the topic. This caused the young man to start in surprise and then chuckle as if there was something that he knew that she was being ignorant of. There was of course.

"After all these years you sill don't remember that when we're not here baby sitting you we're in Hattusa at the palace."

"What! You live in the palace? I would do anything just to see the walls that guard it. Where is Hattusa anyway?" she exclaimed, sitting up and gazing at him with ebony eyes that would make anyone's heart sprint.

"It's south of here about two days journey." He informed her while smiling at her a little sadly. He knew that she wwas being kept in the dark and if he chose he could be the one with the key and could unlock her door. Gradually she was about to be pulled into the light and it was going to blind her.

"Oh, thank you, now my problems gone." She said, relieved. Until then she hadn't even known where the capital was and now she wondered why it didn't occur to her to ask about his family. She guessed that she really just didn't care to know since the stories she was told always seemed like more of a fairytale than reality.

Tito had been watching her silently as she contemplated whatever it was that troubled her and though she didn't know it he had always looked at her with more than an idealistic gaze. He predicted that was why her father always gave him a disapproving look whenever he caught his eye. Last year they'd come for just a visit and after getting one such look had asked his father why he looked that way.

"Tito that girl is a very important person to him and I advise you not to get attached since she will never be yours." He'd answered honestly.

"But why? She is only a year younger than I and you are good friends with her father!" he'd protested, getting annoyed at the constant refusal.

"In time you will know that her fate is not tied to ours or any of our family."

He'd never understood that and he still didn't so he decided to watch her life play out, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying to intercede. The moment was a golden opportunity that any love struck fool, or and hormone rampant teenager, would take advantage of.

"Sayuri…" he said lovingly and swiftly he grabbed her wrists gently and held them together. Leaning down over her, since she was still lying on the bed, her kissed her sweetly, causing her to jolt from the unexpected action. She didn't have time to react, only enough to gasp in surprise. Quickly she pushed him away and yelped quietly.

"Why'd you do that?" she exclaimed and tried to look away as she sat up rigidly.

"Why does anyone do that? Sayuri, I think I'm in-"

"I can't do this right now! I have to leave!" she exclaimed suddenly and before he could protest she shot up and as fast as she could ran out the room.

* * *

Hehehe! I'm done woohoo! Anyway see ya next chappie!


	6. Runaway's Road

* * *

Chapter Seis! Yo voy a hablar en Espanola para esta chapter. JK! That was probably all wrong. Anyway, let the fun begin!

Disclaimer: Sorry, I keep forgetting to add these so for this chapter and the last few I do not own Red River, the sole ownership belongs to Chie Shinohara.

Note: Anything in italics is supposedly Japanese. All a translator does is give me boxes. Some help that is.

* * *

Two weeks later, after Sayuri had decided her father was a safe distance away Tito found a note on his bedside table when he woke up.

_I love you as my best friend, nothing else. I'm sorry._

_Sayuri_

It said. It was a short note and it and the flustered boy knew not one word of what was said, only knew it had to be from her. They hadn't spoken hardly at all for the past two weeks and whenever he managed to get anything out of her she always ran away afterward. She'd never been nervous around him before and it hurt him to see he so timid now. The letter, if it could be called that, wasn't in his language and he didn't know what tongue it was in anyway. This could only mean one thing now; she had runaway, to Hattusa no doubt. There was no way she could get there on her own and if by some miracle she did there was no chance that she would survive; she'd be picked up by a brothel.

Tito imagined her being forced to entertain men and he shuddered uncontrollably as he sat on his slept in bed. Then he realized there was no way she'd let some unwanted man touch her. If she was willing to leave that note, he was going to let her take care of business first.

* * *

Kneeling beside a glistening river a young woman timidly picked up a simple iron dagger. Gradually, as if still not decided, she brought it up to just below her earlobe and with her other hand grabbed a large chunk of silky black hair. (Heehee, reminds me of Mulan!) Sighing in defeat she sliced her hair off cleanly and gazed at it in her hand. Watching it with utmost intensity she let it slide through her open fingers and fall into the running water. Cutting the other side the same she stared at her locks till they rounded a bend and disappeared from view. If by the grace of Ishtar they made it back to the stream behind her small adobe cottage she would be thankful.

Too much had happened since her father had taken his leave. Not only did Tito confess and she reply but the moment their lips touched a sea of knowledge had entered her like a shockwave. It was as if a piece of her had been unlocked. She could now speak and write fluently inn an entirely different language from her own without knowing the country of which it originated.

Gracefully she got up and brushed off the dirt and grass that clung to her plain clothes. In order to make this work Sayuri had to be a boy and that was a tough feat for a girl, not matter how unfeminine she was. All she carried on her was a concealed sword, change of clothes, food, and a little money.

Picking up her things she strode back over to the road and started to walk south till she spotted a caravan a ways up heading in the same direction. Grinning with happiness she began to sprint as fast as she could toward it until she finally reached the last wagon. She ran a few up so she wasn't the last and saw a woman walking beside it.

"Excuse me ma'am, are you heading for the capitol?" she questioned, trying to be polite while also trying to lower her high voice.

"Yes we are." She answered directly and honestly and though Sayuri had thought she'd seemed like a kind woman now she wasn't so sure. The woman had immediately ignored her after that and begun walking as if she wasn't even there, but she had to try.

"Is there any chance I may ride with you till we reach Hattusa?"

"No. I need no tag a longs so you can just leave and find someone else." She sneered and went back to her shunning attitude.

At a loss for words Sayuri stopped walking and watched as the others passed by around her. Though she had been raised in a rural town she still hadn't expected to be treated so harshly on her first interaction with anyone. The outright hostility had surprised her. Maybe it was because everyone in her village liked her or because she wasn't used to it but it bothered her a bit. She stared without really seeing till she felt a slight tug at her sleeve and looked down to her right to see a small boy trying to get her attention.

"My mother will let you stay with us." He said and immediately walked off without waiting to see if she was going to follow him. At first she stared blankly at his retreating form but soon shook her head and ran to check up with him quickly. The small boy looked to be about seven and had dusty, curly, blond hair that got into his eyes. Scrambling to his side she tried to be friendly in her gruff, "manly", voice.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Juran, and you?" he rebuffed.

"Ah… my name…" she panicked. She hadn't come up with one yet. No one would believe Sayuri to be a boy's name, despite how odd it was already. Shaking her head she blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"Clayon!" she spat out at last and sighed in relief.

"Clayon…I thought that was a boy's name?" the child spouted back at her, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

"I- it is! I am a boy." She tried to act appalled that he'd had made that misconception instead of acting surprised that he'd seen through her. Juran also seemed startled at this new discovery but willingly believed the lie and let it go. She could barely fool a child, how was she supposed to trick an adult?

"Mother!" the boy called as they reached a wagon and a female's heads poked out from in the wagon. "Can Clayon stay with us till we get to Hattusa? He has nowhere to go and the old lady turned away another traveler." He asked and Sayuri bowed courteously to the woman. The woman smiled warmly and Sayuri felt her heart glow, not everyone was rude it seemed.

"Sure! Where are you from Clayon?" she asked and both she and Juran jumped into the back of the wagon. It was full off crops and jewelry that were all wrapped up in bags. Traders they were, like her father.

"A little town a day or so north of here. I'm headed to Hattusa for the recruitment." She explained, smiling at the prospect of getting what she wanted and was happy she could truthfully say that that was where she was headed.

"Oh, really, well you're welcome to stay here till we reach the capitol. It will be nice to have a man around here." She said and Sayuri giggled to herself, adults were more gullible that children.

"Thank you ma'am." Sayuri dropped her pack and rested her head down on a sack of potatoes before drifting off to sleep, thinking of what lay ahead for her.

"Clayon, look! There it is!" Juran exclaimed from the other side of the wagon. Sayuri rushed around the horses from where she was walking to see the little boy gleaming and pointing at something in the near distance. She saw what he was looking at and grinned.

Huge walls that stretched up to the sky lay before her. The color of red mud, the gateway stood as the one barrier to her goal. Through the afternoon haze she felt the strong adrenaline rush racing through her veins and the warm sweat clinging to her back. The prime test of her competence on whether or not she could infiltrate the infantry was now upon her and was causing her chest to rise and fall heavily. The only way she reckoned her plan would fail was if they asked for hard proof of her masculinity and no amount of clothing could hide that.

"That's Hattusa!" he yelled gleefully. In the day that they'd been together, Juran previous attitude had worn off and Sayuri had come to see him as an adorable younger brother. When he opened up he was cute and funny in a child like way that caught her motherly eye. Kora, Juran's mother, was especially appreciative since any time Juran spent with her was time Kora wasn't having t6o watch him and for that she'd given her some pie for dessert. She would be saddened when she left them at the gates.

"We'll be there by mid-afternoon." Kora peeked over the side to tell them. She had been very kind and accommodating to Sayuri as they traveled together and despite not being able to feed her, besides the pie, she'd been very apologetic. After the cold confrontation from the previous trader her view was surely prejudice and the kind generosity of the family had helped her stay optimistic; open-minded.

Juran had told of how his father had died and so now it was just he and his mother. They were traders, as she'd presumed, and spent most of the year planting and harvesting crops and the other part selling them. It was a constant stream of work but they got on all right apparently. Once Juran had asked what her father did for a living. The innocent question wasn't meant to be hurtful but the memory of her father still stung. He was somewhere in the vast orient: doing whatever he truly did to earn their way without so much as a whisper of her current doings. She wondered if word had gotten to her father yet, or if it would at all since she doubted that Kikkuri knew his chartered route. But then again her mysterious sire seemed capable of just about anything.

* * *

"Thank you for letting me stay with you till we got here." Sayuri thanked the two gratefully. The small group had finally arrived inside the mighty gates of the Hittite's capitol, Hattusa. They departed sadly, Juran and Sayuri watching each other till they couldn't see past the crowd. The market had quickly turned into frenzy because of the caravan's arrival and people were bustling about trying to set up their stands in the best spots. Pandemonium reigned as she fought her way through the fray toward where the army was supposedly stationed. There was where they were taking new recruits.

Caught up in her own little world Sayuri failed to hear or sense the whispers aimed at her. After all, she wasn't suspicious, was she? Carrying only a bag and a sword she didn't seem to be a fraud acting as a man. The giant city never ceased to amaze since having lived I a small town all her life she was now being thrust through a city life crash course.

Trudging up to a building Sayuri read a sign reading. "Recruitment Station" and walked through the open doorway. Inside the dimly lit room was only a cheap desk with a soldier sitting lazily with his feet on the table. As she strode in he quickly put them down and tried to recover his business-like composure so as to get a good report.

"I'd like to enroll in the infantry." Sayuri said strongly as if trying to convince him with her voice of her manliness and her willingness to put her life on the line for her country.

Watching the girlish man talk brought an arrogant smirk to the officer's face. This scrawny child wanted to be in the army, the possibilities were endless and yet all far-fetched.

"You want to be in the army? Can you even pick up a sword? Go home, we don't need kids." He laughed heartily at her while her face turned beet red in anger and embarrassment at the jab.

"I am sixteen! And I can to hold a sword, see," she pulled out her sword and the soldier noticed she held it the right way, which others rarely did, "I bet I could beat you!" she shouted at him and calmed down as she watched his surprised face. This little rat thought he could beat a hardened soldier. It was laughable but as lazy and cold as he was, he wasn't stupid. He wasn't going to take the boys bait like a buffoon.

"Okay, okay, I can't stop you. I'm just going to need a name and a place of residence in case we need to tell your family you died." He said, turning serious once again. If Sayuri had hackles they would have risen as she panicked once again. She'd been using Clayon but it would be best to change it again in case Kikkuri tracked her to the caravan. She had too tell him where she lived too? There was no way she'd be able to tell him either one! She had t come up with something but what could she call herself?

"My name?" she repeated, her face glazed over and expressionless. The man raised a bushy eyebrow at her, waiting. The boy kept getting weirder every minute.

"Oh, my name! It's…Kurone!" she said brightening. It would work for her immediate purposes and it wasn't a particularly uncommon name so why not?

"All right, and place of residence?" he said.

"Um, Katapa." She answered; picking the first town that came to mind. Wait that might not be such a good idea seeing as how she could die. She was just used to making things up now and the town from the stories of Ursula immediately came to mind. Oh well, the damage was done now, and she couldn't change it without looking odd.

"Got it, take your things and go to Unit 3. That's where you'll be staying till you're deployed to the front."

"Yes, sir." She stated triumphantly and shouldered her pack before walking out the door. The sky showed signs of darkening since she saw the tops of the houses clothed in pink. Knowing she didn't have much time she started to run toward where she knew the infantry would be staying. Slowing to a walk she came into the settlement and received curious stares from many of the soldiers ready for bed.

"Excuse me, I'm new, where do I go?" she asked one of the nearest soldiers politely. He had black hair and at first seemed to be the welcoming sort.

"Ask someone else, kid." He said grumpily and turned away. This always seemed to happen to her, why couldn't she ask nice people?

"Excuse me, I take it you're new right." A young man, maybe eighteen, asked her coming up to her with a smile as she left disheartened. She had to find out what she was supposed to do before it got dark but she was at a loss.

"Yes and don't actually have any idea what to do at all." She explained, shrugging and grimacing in distress. The man chuckled at her expression; apparently it was amusing.

"You're just in time! We're leaving tomorrow for Ugarit so you aren't going to have to stay till the next group like I did! Come on, you can set up by me." The boy said cheerfully and Sayuri couldn't but help grin, his smile was contagious. Maybe he could be her friend while she was here, though she knew it wasn't smart to get close to anyone when it would take one swing to kill him or her.

"Thanks, I will, what is your name?" she asked as they went down the rows of never ending tents.

"Nairek, you?"

"Kuron." Sayuri answered, At least she'd remembered that, so that was one less thing to worry about.

For the rest of the short walk to Nairek's tent they stayed in a comfortable silence. Already Sayuri saw that they had a nice rhythm and could get along with each other easily.

"Well here it is, home sweet tent." He said with a short laugh and opened the canvas flap obscuring the entrance. At first Sayuri objected but the boyish man with sandy colored hair didn't know her secret and so therefore she was safe.

At last ducking under it she saw the area inside was actually more spacious than she had imagined. Looking around she saw two spots where people could sleep and room for luggage and weapons.

"Do you have a tent mate?" she asked, gesturing at the space beside what was clearly his bed since he went and plopped down on the floor.

"Oh, technically to save space we are supposed to be two to a tent but many came with their friends so I don't have one. I was wondering if you would care to be mine?" he asked innocently and looked up at her for an answer. She knew there was no deeper meaning behind it; he was just being friendly. There was no way he could havce figured out that she was a woman so it wasn't as if he'd try something.

"Okay, so I'll just put my stuff here then." She said hesitantly and started to sling her single bag off her shoulder.

"Yes, of course!" he laughed excitedly. "Then I'll just run you through how we do things. We get up when the sun rises and we go to sleep when it sets. This is how it will be on the road, though right now no one listens to that. We'll learn our schedule when we get to Ugarit. Is that all you have?" he asked pointing to her sack and sword, that she'd finally revealed. Nodding she laid out a blanket and laid down on it to rest.

"We have to get up at the right time so we might want to go to sleep now." He suggested and Sayuri nodded. "Then have a good sleep till tomorrow." He said cheerfully as he too lay down.

"Same to you." She responded. Closing her eyes swiftly she allowed her overwhelmed mind t wander until she fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

* * *

Well? Bueno? Mal? Heehee! Next chapter I love so hope you do too!!!!!! At last we meet one of my favorite characters that I created!


	7. First Meeting

Hee, hee! I love this chapter! It's lots of fun! So yeah, I'm going to do a disclaimer that's nice and formal.

Disclaimer: I, (insert my name), do not physically, mentally, or emotionally; own Red River, also known as Anatolia Story. That privilege belongs solely to the lovely Chie Shinohara who is a…*I'm trying to be serious but that is not in my vocabulary* …genius. So anything I write that isn't about one of my characters I don't own!

Notes: There is none so Bravo! Brava! And last but not least…Brave! Can you tell I just went to an opera recently…

"Egyptians, retreat, retreat!" the Hittite army heard an Egyptian general order his troops over the roar of men and chariots. The winning army sang its victory, raising their weapons to the sky in recognition of the war goddess Ishtar, a custom adopted when she died. Lathered in sweet victory, also known as lathered in sweat, the soldiers watched as their foes fled the dirtied field. Sayuri gleamed as she congratulated her fellow comrades with hearty slaps on the back that often hurt she noticed when done to her. They had all grown to become good friends and the rude man she'd met when she'd first arrived apologized and told her about how grumpy he always was just before going to sleep. She'd also found that that was the complete truth; everyone had experienced his grumpy mood at one point in time. The prairie was covered in bodies, mainly Egyptians, and stained red from blood but at the moment she wasn't bothered by it, she was too happy.

"We won! That was wonderful, Nairek!" she shouted gleefully and ran up to her friend who was looking at a sword of a fallen foe. Together as everything quieted down they started off the battlefield with the rest of the infantry and the charioteers.

"Yes, the prince and general's plan worked perfectly, we had them running for the hills in no time!" he cheered and grinned at her. He got as much of a kick out of this as she did but the last statement caught her off guard.

"There is another general besides the prince?" she asked.

Due to her remoteness she had never been trained in military procedure and toward the beginning of her employment she always seemed rather lost. She knew that the crown prince was leading the army as a final test of competence before he was crowned king. In the time she'd been there Sayuri had learned many things about the country's royal family that she'd never heard from her father. For one, the sole prince had insisted that his uncle rule until he himself felt he was able to rule the way his father had done. Juda had mainly been a stature that had many advises who helped him make the decisions for the country, the main adviser being Ilbani. The heir didn't want to have so many people around him that he didn't trust and said that his only adviser would be his fathers half brother and his aide, who just happens to be Tito. Tito she found out would be joining him later and she would have to be careful not to be seen since he probably knew she was somewhere in the infantry.

"Of course there is! There is a mysterious general who is never at court. He only works in the field and doesn't come to the capital. He calls himself Iskas, General Iskas." He explained, not really astonished to see that she didn't know, and continued his lecture when she frowned. "He wears a black cloak that lets no one see his face and when the fighting ends immediately disappears. He's still the most influential person in the whole army, even superior to Prince Mali, who is nineteen. The prince seems to have respect for him but has often spoken out against him because he doesn't like that he's such a shady man. He's even argued with his uncle about it." Shaking her black head in surprise she spoke,

"I had no idea, I knew there were other generals but I didn't know he was so… competent." Walking into Ugarit they smiled from the cheers ringing throughout the city as the citizens lined the streets to congratulate them. Some soldiers even had family in town and ran to embrace them. It made her smile sadly. She had no one to go to when she was done fighting. If her father found her here he would send her back to Kikkuri right away and they wouldn't trust her on her own again. They already wouldn't be letting her out of their sight when she got back.

When they reached the tent that they'd shared since they'd gotten there the two cleaned their swords, reflecting on the day in silence. Most of the soldiers slept in inns or in the houses of those that would take them in but as Nairek and Sayuri were among those who were poorer, they slept in a designated area for those in tents. Nairek was the first to break their comfortable silence when he turned to her.

"I hear there is a hot springs just outside the walls. Do you want to go get clean, Kuron? Then maybe we can go to a brothel." He suggested when they finished, causing Sayuri to pause momentarily to think up an excuse for no participating in his…ideas.

"Ah, I don't so this time Nairek. I feel kind of sick from all the blood so I'm just going to take a quick bath and go to bed early." She retaliated.

"Oh, well would you mind if I go? I feel like celebrating tonight." He asked.

"Of course not! By all means go! Have fun." She assured him, almost pushing him out of the tent and sighing as she slid to the ground again. This had turned out to be much harder than she thought. All the men bathed together and chances for a single bath were always slim on the road if they got to take one at all. Of course it wasn't as if they had bathes for male and female soldiers when they were supposedly all male. Maybe at last she could get clean.

Grabbing a change of clothes from the pile the army had giving her, she sneaked out the back of the tent and went down a back street of Ugarit. The army was stationed on the outer rim of the city, along the back row of adobe houses. The street was deserted and she quickly made her way through the bazaar with no difficulties and didn't see any other soldiers in the area. There was a large building in front of her which she could see the walls of over the tops of the houses. Sayuri ran and saw the gate of the outside wall before her along two night guards who were standing lazily against the wall.

Suddenly there were sounds of shouting and swords clashing systematically down the lane away from her. The two guards glanced at each other and then they both jogged with their own blades unsheathed toward the disruption. Sayuri took the chance and thought that there was sure to be a private bath in such a large building and scuttled through the gates, making them open not a foot wide before she slid through. She slinked behind a large bush as she saw shadows coming in her direction and heard voices of two maids who looked like they'd just finished for the night. They were talking in quiet whispers but Sayuri could still hear there ever word from her close vantage point.

"I hear his highness still refuses all the maids besides the Hatti women."

"But when he has so many in his service why doesn't he use them? They're there for whatever he needs and he doesn't exactly act like he doesn't like us." The other wondered aloud as she pondered the royal family's constant denial for other handmaids.

"He is actually very kind but he never allows anyone else to see to him besides them. He has complete trust in them." She answered as they walked off toward the gates Sayuri had just snuck through.

"Well I just wish…" was all she could hear before they'd left. She waited for another minute and then surreptitiously went into the closest building, which happened to be the biggest building she seen since they'd left the capital, and poked around corners. She soon heard the sound of water and ran silently down a long hallway lighted by lanterns nailed to the wall with iron.

Her feet made no noise as she turned a corner to come right into an annex that held a bath surrounded by fine soaps and oils. It was already filled to the brim with warm water that instantly soothed her fingertips as it glistened in the last of the evening light. Sayuri, with a quick glance in the hallway, quietly took of her garments and set them near a long couch, all the while listening intently for any sound the might signal a person approaching. The water felt wonderful on her grimy skin and she loved to see the dirt wash off her skin and reveal her real tone underneath. It made her feel whole, like washing off her male mask and getting t be who she wanted to be.

Relaxing against a side, she sighed in contentment and sunk in all the way to her nose letting just enough air to breath go through. Her risky plan had so far been going well. As to say that as of yet she was sure no one had found out her secret. Her name and gender were still completely safe. She wondered who really lived ion this fine estate and just how long she could continue doing this. Sayuri was so captivated in her thoughts that when someone opened the door and walked in unannounced she didn't notice.

"Who are you?" a bewildered voice asked and in total shock Sayuri jumped out of her skin and shrieked. She quickly turned to see who the intruder was, a fine gesture seeing as how their positions were really switched. All Sayuri cold do was stare at the half naked man in front of her. He was tall and had blond hair, like straw. He face was sharp and h expression was one that changed from utter bewilderment to another expression that she couldn't quite name but made her exceedingly nervous. He was very handsome. He looked similar to her father save for his eyes, they were a deep ebony color.

Sayuri was admiring his bare torso when it suddenly dawned upon her that she wasn't wearing anything and her arms were limp at her sides. Never had been doing anything and had been opening staring for the past minute or so in absolute silence. The water had stopped splashing now that she had stopped jumping about and now all they could hear was the soft neighing of the horses now in their stalls for the night. When she realized this she turned on her heels and swam the farthest edge of the bath and enclosed herself in her own arms.

The man had been musing about how she looked so much like his mother but when she gasped in embarrassment he, without thinking, tore off the towel around his waist and jumped in the shallow pool as well. Reaching her quickly he grabbed her wrists above her head so she couldn't do anything to get away.

"No! Don't, let me go!" she protested and wriggled in his grip, trying to get out of his grasp. It was to no avail though; he was too strong for her.

"Do you want me to call the guards? You are the one trespassing on my property and are now in my bath. I have a right to know who you are." He asked again leaning in so close that she could feel his breath on her face. Blushing profusely Sayuri through her bright red face away from his without saying a word in answer. How dare this man touch her and ask her questions, it was none of his business!

"You're not going to tell me?" he stated, surprised at the thought that she wouldn't tell him anything. He wasn't used to people not knowing who he was and the position he carried. He expected a prisoner of war to ignore his questions, not a girl who didn't seem to listen to hierarchy. "I just asked you question and you're not going to answer?"

"No! It's none of your business or concern. Now let me go!" she ordered, squirming in a halfhearted attempt to still be freed. She only felt contempt to this man.

"Then how about this, I make love to you right now and then we'll see how much you want to talk afterward?"" he suggested wryly.

"N-no! Why?!"

"Because you won't tell your prince who you are." He said plainly.

"You're the prince!" she gasped, startled for the moment and stopped struggling. This was the prince that Nairek had talked about, the one that was going to inherit the thrown when they finished this war and could finally be at peace? It was hard to believe that this man could possibly be the one to rule the nation, though she couldn't say she would know how he was, seeing as how she hadn't even hear of him before she entered the army.

"You barge in here and get into someone's bath… and you don't even know whose it is. This is only the largest palace in the whole city." He asked sarcastically and she shook her head blankly and he stared at her in surprise. He couldn't understand any of this. An innocent girl had snuck into his palace, the most heavily guarded thing in the whole city and had even gotten into his bath without anyone even noticing. Something like that never happened; people just didn't not know where the prince was staying, not when he was the only royal member in the city.

"If I let you get dressed would you talk with me?" he asked her, turning kind so he would hopefully get a positive answer. Not that she had much choice. If she didn't feel like talking he could always call the guards or carry out his previous invitation. There was also the possibility that she was a spy or assassin so he would have to be careful and always keep a close eye on her, however she really didn't seem to have any ill wish. Her white face just seemed frightened and uncertain of whether to believe him. At last she nodded nervously and he gradually let her go.

Trying to not scare the maiden anymore than he already had, he backed up cautiously, watching his fingerprint marks slowly fade on her skin. The prince felt bad about that, he hadn't meant to hurt her but she was squirming and hard to keep still.

Now that Mali had released her she quickly knelt down in the water to shield herself with her hands.

"Alright, I'll turn around so you can get your clothes on. Then we can talk peacefully." He said reassuringly putting stress on the "peacefully" to further calm her. It didn't seem to be working though since when he looked to see if his condition was going to be met she hadn't yet done anything.

"Are you going to turn me in?" she asked quietly in a scared voice and at first that had been his full intention but seeing the petite maiden's frightened face as he pursued her changed his mind. He seriously doubted that she was an assassin now. Seeing as how she wasn't going to be moving if he didn't answer he told her that he wouldn't be he turned around to face the door. Mali finally hear the soft splashing of the water as she got out of her safe haven toward her clothes that he knew were right behind him. She would be completely defenseless if he turned on her now, but he wasn't one to do that, usually.

This girl, who clearly had no idea what she was doing, had managed to sneak past some of the best guards in the empire and his servants to enter his personal quarters. Who was this girl that looked so much like his deceased mother? What was she doing in his residence, besides taking a bath?

"I'm dressed…" she mumbled at last and Prince Mali eagerly turned around.

"That's what you're wearing. Those are men's clothes!" he protested. He had thought that she was going to come out in a beautiful dress that would award his restraint but he should have known that someone who broke into a palace wouldn't be wearing fine garments.

"Yes, they are and I am." She confirmed, blushing brightly at his assessment.

"Well, so be it then. Let's go talk somewhere else." He settled. He waited for her to leave through the door first and he watched her shiver as they walked down the hall. Every couple of steps she would look back at him, silently asking him where they were headed in this big building. "Turn left into this room." He instructed and the moment she walked in she stopped in a dead halt that made him run into her before he could stop.

"We're talking… here?" she questioned nervously. It was obviously the prince's bedchambers which had been set up his the night. The double bed's sheets were pulled down and a robe was set over a chair.

"Is that alright? We won't have to worry about being disturbed." He said casually and gave her a little push so he could enter and then closed the door behind them. Mali went over to the chair and threw off his towel and put on the robe, making Sayuri blush fiercely at the backside of his naked physique. He then sat down on a large couch and turned to her stiff form. "I won't touch you." He assured her and gestured to another chair across from his.

At last she scuffed over and got into the chair like his. It was leather and very comfortable, the most comfortable she'd ever sat in as a matter of fact. She started to relax until he said that they should begin and then started to shift around nervously in her seat. To Mali the young women reminded him of a tip mouse who was skittishly poking her head out of a hole. Was she seriously that scared of him? He didn't think he was that frightening; it could be his royalty. He hoped that by the time they were done she would warm up to him. Though he didn't know why, whenever he looked at this girl he felt a strange sense of similarity, one that he couldn't seem to relate to or understand at all. Maybe he would keep her with him.

Sayuri was more confused than she'd ever felt I her life. Her whole subconscious was spinning haywire and she could seem to control it and gain some coherent thoughts. She knew she should be afraid, in his palace this prince could do whatever he wanted and pretty much get away with it; there would be nothing she could do to stop it. She hoped he would be of the decent sort so she could stop feeling the pressure of fear.

Yet the feeling soon started to dissipate. That as how she should have felt but miraculously that wasn't the case. She felt… safe around this stranger. Like what she felt in the presence of her father no matter how angry with her he was. How could anyone possibly know what she was going through? It was incomprehensible and illogical.

"What is your name?" he started in a calm voice when he saw that she was alert.

"Sayuri." She answered honestly. While she had been getting dressed she had contemplated whether or not to use her real name and she decided that since they were far from their small town and since she had a different name in the infantry that he wouldn't be able to track down a boy by that name.

"Sayuri," the prince sighed to himself and continued, "Well then Sayuri, what could you possibly be doing in my palace. I asked my uncle if I could live here since it is my birth home and he agreed." He explained to her unnecessarily and then silently reprimanded himself for letting so much information out though most people in the country already knew. The innocent aura the small intruder gave off made it very easy to talk to her since it seemed she had a very closed mouth.

"I was taking a bath." She answered swiftly.

"I know that!" he growled, exasperated but immediately knew his tone was the wrong choice. At his outburst she had shifted as far from him as the chair would allow her, which made him rethink his approach.

"I'm sorry for yelling. Let me rephrase that question. Did you know that this was my residence?" he asked, placing his hands behind his head in a picture of ease. Sayuri shook her head and surprised, Mali stared at her.

"Where are you from?" he asked. He was greeted with a cold silence that stated in itself that she wasn't going to answer and that miffed him a little. Frustrated, he asked another question.

"Are you I Ugarit with your family." He questioned, already knowing it was a stupid thing to ask. If she were here with others then she would have at least someone who would provide a bath.

"No, it's just my father and I but I ran away." She said almost to herself.

"Oh, and how does a poor girl who has to steal into someone's house in order to take a bath support herself during a war. There is no way you're a prostitute, you're too uptight." He figured aloud. Blushing she found herself explaining.

"I'm no prostitute, but I'm not going to tell you either."

"Alright then fine, how about this, I'll help you." He began smiling and at her shocked face. She'd begun to think he wasn't such of a bad person she'd thought he was. "I'll send a message to your father to at least know that you're alright. I won't even tell him where you are…" he stopped talking when he saw her face droop and she looked down at the floor.

"Don't bother, you can't help me." She said while slowly turning her head away from Prince Mali.

"Why?! Your father is no doubt worried about you…" he trailed off again as her face suddenly lit up, he really couldn't deal with her mood swings.

"Do you know Kikkuri and Ryui?" she exclaimed when she remembered what Tito had said about knowing the royal family. She jumped out of her seat in glee to pounce lightly on his couch. She quickly got up right in his face and looked at him with curiously eyes filled with suspense.

"Ah…yes- why?"

"Do you know where they go during a war?" she fired off again.

"N-no! I think they go do something for Uncle Juda, I'm not sure!" he tried again. The quiet girls drastic change in attitude was leaving him a little speechless, never had he imagined that the timid girl would climb on top of him, almost knocking him off the couch.

"They all come to my village! Whenever he comes my father Kail, I know, strange name but he was named after Mursili II," she explained when he looked like he wanted to interrupt, "and he goes off on a trading mission. Kikkuri, Ryui, Tito, and Salma all stay at my house. It's always during a war though, he says it's a good time to sell."

"So I am to assume that is where he is right now?" he concluded, managing to slide out from under her without dislodging her and likely making her fall off the side.

"Yes, who knows where he might be."

"So what are you planning on doing now that you have endless free time?" he asked, leaning towards her and putting his hands on his face.

"That's none of your business." She retorted stubbornly and stuck her nose in the air like a child being denied their favorite treat. Mali frowned in unhappiness at her refusal and they both sat there staring at each other in silence. Outside they heard crickets chirping and the scuttling of some animal. Everyone had gone to sleep by now so they were the only ones awake in the building besides the guards at the gates. At last Mali got annoyed and started to speak again in the hope that some agreement could be reached.

"Fine well wherever you're going I certain they'll be missing you." He said, resigning to the fact that nothing was going to come of them just sitting there. He got up and she followed suit as he led her back out the door and into the courtyard where a guard ran up to them in confusion.

"Sir, is there something wrong?" he asked, bowing respectfully to his monarch before fixing Sayuri with a cruel glare.

"Nothing, Sayuri would uyou like an escort back home?" he asked her in front of the still livid guard. Since Sayuri had come to the palace the sky had darkened and with her black hair it was hard to see her face and that unnerved the poor man.

"No!" she shouted rashly and immediately a blush crept across her face. She looked away quickly so he wouldn't see her face but she thought he'd probably already seen it. She might feel oddly safe next to the prince but she wasn't about to give him any clues to her secret. She shouldn't have even told him her name but it was too late now. The important thing right now was to get away from there and get back to her tent.

"Ah, thank you." She stuttered.

"it was nice speaking to you." He said sincerely but with a cold glint in his eye that sent shivers down her spine and made her wonder if he wasn't as nice as he seemed.

"Good bye Prince Mali. " she mumbled looking at the same shade black eyes as hers. It was the first time she'd actually said his name and it rolled easily off her tongue. The prince didn't want her to go alone but after taking one last glance at him she took off down the street. He watched her until she turned a bend and then turned quickly to the guard who was still watching the odd encounter.

"Follow her, tell me where she goes, ask about her, and make sure she doesn't know you are there." He ordered, his handsome face deadly serious as he said that. He didn't want to betray the little girl's trust but for some unknown reason he absolutely had to know more about this girl.

I'm done! Yes oh yes oh yes! Happy dance happy dance! Ok I'm done. So I am super sorry I haven't updated in more than a month but I suddenly got overloaded with sports academics and I am a terrible time manager. But school is easy from here on out and summer is coming. Dang all of you who are out next week, I still have to wait till June 4! Anyway I don't know when the next chapter is gonna get out since I want to add a couple more things while she's still in the capital and I not sure what yet. So bear with me and review!


	8. Caught

Where we left off: Sayuri had gone to the Prince's to bath and had gotten caught. He sent a soldier to tail her.

* * *

It was three days before Mali heard back from the guard he had sent to investigate the young girl who had snuck into his residence. In that period he had had much time to think up causes for her mysterious actions, others being more sensible, like she was just at one of those rebellious times he'd heard girls went through and she would soon get over herself. Others however leaned toward more sinister plots such as family problems that she didn't want him to know about. There was really no use even wondering, he knew that, though they provided a suitable time killer, because he would know soon enough from a reliable source.

It was on that morning during his early morning meal that the guard returned with news.

"Your highness!" the man yelled, running full sprint up to the prince even though as a mere foot soldier royal custom forbid him from addressing a member of the royal family unless spoken to first and certainly not while the person was eating. The morning was a bright one and Mali had to squint up at the guard until he knelt in submission at his feet. It wasn't particularly hot or humid either, rare during the dry season, so he was glad that there wasn't going to be a battle today from what the scouts had said. It gave him time to rest, since he had had little to no sleep for the past few days between the war and wondering about Sayuri.

"What did you discover?" Mali asked, ushering away the protesting serving maids, leaving only his most trusted handmaid, who had been like a mother to him after his mother had died. Hadi had always been there for him, unlike Ryui and Shala she had stayed unmarried and Juda had always respected Mali's wish to keep her with him at all times despite his uncle's offer of many young handmaids.

"She went to the infantry's camp, sir! She entered a tent and didn't reappear till morning!" the man exclaimed, trying to say his information as fast as he could. Out of the three of them, Mali was the most astounded by this; he was sure he had guessed correctly in her not being a prostitute. Hadi was just interested in why the prince even cared about some random girl that he had tailed. It seemed very out of character, even if he was very much like his father.

"Well then maybe she was a prostitute…" he considered aloud and rubbed his face with his hands.

"No, sir! I asked around about her and the other soldiers laughed at the prospect of her being a woman. They all thought that I had fallen in love with a boy. Apparently that woman is acting as a man." He protested. Mali dropped the strawberry, his favorite fruit, that he was about to put in his mouth as he heard this piece of news. His face began to go pale.

"What?" It was Hadi that spoke this time and the soldier continued.

"That is not all your highness, all the soldiers that have heard of her say that she is by far the best in the whole army! To them her name is Kuron." He finished and waited for his lord's consideration.

Mali's mind was in turmoil at that point, what had egged that petite woman into doing something as illogical and dangerous as disguising herself as a man and joining the army. Was something not right in her head or was she one of the few girls that wished to be like Ishtar? She wasn't a part of the Hatti tribe either, Hadi would have told him, so learning how to fight wasn't in her usual education. Either way the battlefield was no place for a woman, even if she was a superb swordswoman. If someone was to discover her…

"Alright, you may leave but do not breathe a word to anyone and don't try to engage in any kind of conversation with her." Mali sighed tiredly and the exhausted guard left hurriedly while the prince went back to his breakfast, deep in thought. He was surprised that Hadi let him finish his meal before beginning to question about his odd conversation.

"Prince Mali who is this person the guard was talking about?" she asked worriedly. The young prince wasn't usually someone to investigate a person and so she assumed that this particular girl must be rather important to have attracted his interest.

"I'm not exactly sure. Three days ago she somehow managed to evade all of the guards and sneak into my palace." He said absentmindedly. Hadi did not like this in the least. She knew the danger of someone coming in unannounced, even if it was a girl. She and her sisters had succeeded in poisoning Yuri. She also felt somewhat useless at this information. Along with being the prince's handmaid she had taken upon herself to be his constant guard, especially when he was still a small boy. The fact that someone had gotten close to him without her knowledge made her question her own competence.

"Prince Mali, she could have been someone sent to kill you! What happened to her?"

"I let her go. She had only wanted to take a bath and had no idea that this was my residence. She was completely lost. I asked her some questions but she evaded quite a few so I had that guard find out more. Was that wrong?" he answered.

"Well I suppose that was the right thing to do. But you should have called me so at least I could see her face and remember." Hadi answered sternly to him and he sighed in exasperation.

"She was scared to death of me Hadi. She certainly wasn't dangerous. I would bring her here again to talk if I didn't think she would be end up running off somewhere where I can't find her. She's so unique." He responded grudgingly and he got up and strutted to the gate. His horse was there waiting for him. It was a sweet mare that was one of Aslan's descendants. She was one of the best since Aslan but none of his children had ever become as good a runner as he was. Aslan still lived in the capital and Mali was the only one ever allowed to ride him and only if Aslan let him. If he didn't want to run Mali was off his back in one quick rear. One of Aslan's main mares was one of his father's former chariot horses. The other one was with his father at that very moment, wherever that was.

With the help of Hadi, Mali got up on his horse and buckled on his sword.

"Don't you worry Hadi. She is nothing that you need to be concerned about." He assured her and smiled gently at her before beginning off toward the city.

"Wait, Prince Mali! Where are you going?!" she yelled at him.

"To greet your nephew at the gates! Tito's coming today!" he shouted back and pushed the horse into a fast gallop.

-

Sayuri quickly stepped out of her tent so as to not wake the still sleeping Nairek, who had only gotten back from a night of drinking at the nearby bar a few hours before dawn. She stretched her arms and yawned as she looked out towards the outer walls of Ugarit. Today she was going to explore the city after watching the sun rise, something she hadn't gotten to do since they had arrived in the city. Since she had gotten her pay yesterday and had enough money saved for regular expenses she had pocket money to spend and a cool morning to lift her spirits.

After the unlucky encounter with the prince she had been terrified to think what would happen if he discovered her sitting there in the middle of his army acted as one of his own. No doubt he would have her beheaded for lying to a royal or sent someplace where he didn't have to hear or think of her again.

Soon after she'd stretched her aching muscles Sayuri proceeded to start off toward the entryway on the far side of the city. Whilst the bars and brothels would remain quiet for at least another hour before the guests staying the night woke up, the majority of the city was already awake and getting ready for the new day. A day where they didn't have to worry the day away about their husbands and lovers fighting and possibly dying in the outskirts of the area.

She could hear the stable boys pouring grain into the troughs of the military's steeds. At one point she had thought about buying a horse from the army but the foot soldiers didn't have a use for them because obviously they were on their feet unlike the charioteers. She had enough money to buy a horse but the housing and feed would be too much, even if the horse ate mostly grass with the others in the pasture. Her father had been planning on getting her one, but they had wanted to wait till they had built another stall next to his own horse's so that they had a place to put it. They hadn't gotten a chance to before he had left.

The other people who were outside were the merchants already stationed in the bazaar. They were working more quickly, rushing to get things organized and reorganized for a big day of selling. The bakers had been up the longest, baking bread and other pastries to sell but other traders were getting ready as well. Sayuri saw a few shops that she noted so that she would remember to come back and look at when they were open later.

For now she continued on her way, saying good morning to any passerby as she walked past. When she got there the guards recognized her and they allowed her to pass out of the gates so long as she would teach them a special sword technique that she had created herself to battle against multiple opponents. Due to the war the prince had ordered that no one be allowed in or out of the city from dusk till dawn. Since it was so close to dawn they thought they could cut a little her a little slack. The people of the infantry and even some of the people in the other regiments liked her.

When returning from a battle one day she had seen an oasis roughly a mile from the outer wall. She could get there rather quickly if she ran, and running would do a fine job of waking her up. Still it was times like then that she still wished she had a horse.

It took her a little over ten minutes to get to the oasis. It wouldn't have taken her even that long but the ground was rugged and there were hills in between that slowed her down. During that time she had been thinking about home and the people she had left behind. Her father might know she was gone, if Kikkuri had managed to track him down and tell him. In which case she suspected that he would probably be looking for her and she wondered if he would think about their earlier fight. She had told him she had wanted to fight but he had been so against it that she wondered if he thought she had the guts to do it. Well he would soon learn she most certainly did.

There was also Kikkuri's family. She felt guilty to think about how they had been put in charge of her but had been unable to do that. It hadn't been there fault that she had run away; they just provided the chance she needed to get away. It was easy to escape from the kind Kikkuri, but her father would have tracked her down before she had even gotten to the caravan that she had hitched a ride with.

There was also Tito. Before she had left he had kissed her and she had already decided to leave. She liked Tito, who couldn't really; he was so nice to everyone. But she didn't love him like that. He was more of a brother that was gone most of the time. They had been friends throughout their childhood and she still wanted to be friends, but nothing more. She didn't want what had happened to come between them now.

She got there just before the sun was about to peek over the top of the hill and so she sat down next to the shallow pool to wait. She cupped her hands and grabbed some water that she threw on her face and then drank the next cup. Finally she turned to just watch. That disk of soft orange light brought the warmth she needed to continue on this dangerous trek. She always loved the sunrise because no matter you would want to do to stop it, it would still rise the same as it had the day before, and the day before that. The sun had almost showed all of its beauty before she knew it. She now couldn't look at it without hurting her eyes so she decided to lay back down on the dirt and rest a little. The heat was no becoming evident and she wiped a bit of sweat off her brow and covered her eyes with her arm.

She sat there for almost two hours, thinking of nothing and thinking of everything. Images of the past were coming back. The war, her father, and the village she had grown up in. All of it seemed so small compared to right now. They were pieces of the past, things that didn't seem important when she was in battle.

At last she got up and brushed off. She wanted to have all day and so she started back to the city at a walk. It took longer than when she had run but it gave her a chance to look at the scenery. This was something she was also sad to have missed out on. She had been focused on earning her place in the army on their way to the city so she hadn't really been thinking about what was around them. The landscape here though was so much more different compared to where she lived though. And it was all new to her too. She had never been outside her village and the few surrounding it.

She was a few minutes away from the gates when there were hoof beats and the sound of a horse neighing somewhat nearby and Sayuri looked to see a silhouette riding towards Ugarit at a canter. She couldn't see who it was but guessed that it was maybe a messenger or a traveler in a hurry so didn't pay him any mind. It was certainly a man, he had short hair from what she could see.

She saw that person enter the gates, which had by then been opened to everyone, and lost him in the crowd. The closer she got to the gates the more people she saw. The guards that had been there that morning had been replaced by ones she didn't know but they weren't who drew her attention when she entered the fray of people.

It was the prince. He was sitting on his horse in the middle of a large group of citizens with the person who had ridden by her on the way back. It was Tito.

Tito was looking around in a distracted way and suddenly the two made eye contact and Sayuri felt her pupils go large. He shouted something that she couldn't here and started his horse toward her but she quickly shot off down a back path and into another street full of people. Sayuri had to dodge wagons and civilians as she made her way through and she didn't look to see if he was following her but instead ran toward the bazaar where she was sure she could get away, earning many annoyed shouts from the townspeople. She hoped that the prince hadn't seen her as well because then she would assuredly have the both of them chasing after her. She got to the bazaar quickly and slowed down. Slipping into the nearest crowd of people she disappeared.

-

"Tito what is it?" Prince Mali asked his friend whom he hadn't seen in months, since the war started. Tito had given a little yell a moment ago for no reason and had distressed the good people around them.

"Tha- that was her! Ah… your highness I have to go! I promise I'll meet you for lunch in the palace!" the man said franticly, observing the crowd with a critical eye and quickly jerked his horse and almost hitting some of the prince's admirers who had been trying to attract his attention with no luck. His took one last look at the prince, who shrugged in submission, and took off down the street with caution.

He was astonished to have found her so soon after getting to Ugarit. When she had left he was sure that her reason had been to join the army. He had first gone to the capital and looked for her there thoroughly but to no prevail. He had later learned that she had left with a brigade that he had missed by a few days. Ugarit was a large city so Tito believed that it would take quite a while before he even discovered her whereabouts. Yet with a stroke of luck he had found her just as he entered the city.

Soon he realized that Sayuri had managed to slip away from him. He had been chasing nothing for a few minutes. He swore under his breath, well at least he knew she was in the city. That meant that his search was over. Now he just had to find where she stayed, which if she was here meant that she had made it into the regiments. Which meant she would be in the army camp.

After making sure that his horse was properly brushed and watered he walked to the armies camp. There was a man sitting next to a tent and he walked up.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a boy who is rather short, has black hair, kind of perky…" Tito asked the man. He didn't expect to get much information out of him due to his weak description but maybe he would get a general idea of who Tito was talking about.

"Hmm… a small boy… You have to mean Kuron! He should be in his tent, Number 73." He answered but suddenly he seemed to get defensive. "What business do you have with the chap? We won't let anyone bully little Kuron."

"I'm not here to bully, just to talk." Tito assured him but the man continued to watch him suspiciously as he walked away down the rows of tents toward where Sayuri's was. He didn't stand out amongst the soldiers; some even knew him in connection to the prince. He was dressed simply in plain work clothes but he still felt as if he was in front of a crowd. All around him people seemed to whisper odd things, he kept hearing Sayuri's fake name. All of it good too. They kept saying how kind she was, how good with a sword she was. If she was trying to be inconspicuous she was doing a terrible job of it.

He looked up and saw the tent named 73. He wondered whether he should call for her to come out or to barge in. if he called her se might run at the sight of him, it was clear that she didn't want him to see her.

He lifted the tent flap and was disappointed to see that there wasn't anyone even in the tent. On the floor to the left was what he was positive were Sayuri's things. Her bag he knew because it had been his family who had given it to her for her twelfth. The palaces best leather workers made it of the finest leather.

"Who are you?" a voice asked and he jumped around to face the speaker.

"It's Tito, I'm looking for Kuron. I was told that this was his tent."

"It is. Kuron is teaching some men how to do different fighting techniques. He's taking on competitors right now." The man said kindly, flashing a smile.

"Thank you." Tito answered, rushing off to the towards the practice courts where the men would go to try out different things or just socialize.

"You're not going to beat him if that's what you're here for." The man shouted after him and Tito laughed quietly to himself and continued on. It was a very short walk and when he arrived he saw a tight knit of people in a circle surrounding two people. They were cheering but no bets were being made on the outcome of the fight. He could hear the clashing of two swords against each other from where he was standing, a familiar sound to his practiced ear.

He stood at the back of the crowd and but could still see the faces of the competitors from over the heads of the bystanders. It was assuredly Sayuri and some unknown militia man.

At the moment they were pacing in a circle around each other in a predatory stance. The man was already sweating profusely though he could see that Sayuri hadn't even worked up a sweat. She hadn't even gone into her 'warriors mind' where she could rule her emotion, actions, and her movements to the upmost of her ability. She could brandish her sword without a thought for the challenger.

Today however she was fighting in a sure, almost lazy way. As they continued to spare she spoke words of advice: where to stand, how to hold the sword, different maneuvers for each strike. The man was listening with keen ears too, something Tito was happy to see.

Tito made his way through the crowd just as Sayuri decided the man had heard enough and with a quick jerk, the sword went flying out of his hand and behind the crowd. He stepped back in defeat and thanked her kindly, his eyes glimmering in respect. Another man, who had seemed to be the self-elected referee, spoke then.

"Is there anyone else who wishes to take on our all-time champ? Don't be shy men, just step right up!" the man shouted, looking over the heads for perhaps a missed hand.

"I will." Tito said and began to take off his outer shirt to allow more freedom of movement. He then proceeded to unclip his sword from his side as he pushed past people into the ring and wiped the blade for good measure on his pant leg. The men were looking at him in shock, though they had once believed they could beat the small boy themselves. He turned to Sayuri who was standing at the far side of the ring and looking as if she was considering bolting. Her face was very uncertain and in thought but it soon turned back to its normal expression. She would entertain him with this and then would ambush him or perhaps flee. Her hair was more boyish from the last time he saw her, going barely down to her chin but he thought it was kind of adorable. The way she walked and strutted had also taken on a on a man like quality.

"Are you ready?" the moderator asked and they nodded.

"Then begin!"

Tito immediately jumped at her, bringing the blade swinging down towards her face. She was forced to make a quick block, deftly returning the strike with one of her own. She wasn't surprised at his quick action, she had spared with him long enough to know he was usually the one to strike first. She continued to simply counteract his swipes as she asked him the question she was already quite sure of the answer to.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered quietly so the watchers couldn't hear her. Her expression had turned worried and he smirked playfully, whispering just as softly.

"You've got to beat me to find out." He said softly and slashed at her. Suddenly he saw her body change, she had begun to get serious and he knew she would soon beat him. Defense was soon his only choice and the crowd began to get rowdy and cheered loudly for her. In the time she'd been there she had completely entranced them. He jumped when she almost sliced his arm and tried to hit her legs, which they both knew he would never do but he hoped to create and opening; it didn't work however and only allowed her to swipe near his head so he had to block.

He made one more desperate attempt to wade her off. She attacked furiously then and somehow easily got her sword hilt under his and jerked up, pulling it out of his hands. His sword went flying and he was knocked off of his feet.

"And the winner is Kuron again!" Someone yelled and Sayuri offered him a hand up. He took it gratefully and was a little ashamed of how short the match had been. He had hoped to play along with her a while longer but apparently she really wanted to get rid of him. She shouldn't have worried, it wasn't as if he was going to tell the soldiers of her secret unless he really wanted her to get hurt. Jerking his head in the direction of the entrance to the bazaar he left and began to walk there, expecting her to follow.

Immediately people began to swarm her, asking for rematches and congratulations. She calmly told them she was tired and wanted to take a rest but promised them that if later they still wanted to spare she would be happy to oblige them. They left unhappily and she rushed after Tito, catching up to him quickly.

"Tito what are you doing here?" she questioned. He grabbed her arms suddenly and clasped them to her sides. She was trapped and couldn't move which scared her quite a bit. She trusted Tito completely though, something that he wished she was a little wearier of on occasion.

"I'm here to look for you and serve his highness. Of course that really doesn't matter. It is what you are thinking." he exclaimed. She pouted at him, her lip bulging out and making her very irresistible…to everyone but him at the moment.

"Oh, no you don't. That won't work on me. Now tell the truth or I'm dragging you home right now by your hair which I noticed is exceedingly short." He threatened.

"Fine, fine. I wanted to be in the army but Father wouldn't let me so I decided to go when he wasn't home! He doesn't even have to know. I'll be back before he even gets home." She explained and Tito noticed that there was nothing but sincerity, making Tito almost laugh at her. She really had no idea what she'd just done.

"You really don't think you've done anything wrong do you?" he asked in disbelief.

"Of course! He is going to kill me if he finds out and I'll probably never get to leave his sight again but it's worth it! I'm doing something great here Tito! I am assisting in something I do well and am really making a difference, I know it. Would you take me away from that?"

"You think your father's wrath is the worst thing you have to deal with? Sayuri, you are a girl in an army of men. If you were discovered you would be raped, beheaded, or worse!"

She was about to come up with something to say against that but then stopped.

"What could be worse than that?"

"Ah…well… okay I just put that in for dramatic effect." He said. She stared at his for a moment and then shrugged.

"I know that could happen! And the prince's army isn't allowed to harm women."

"But the enemy's army is not. If the Egyptians were to capture you there would be no one to save you. It's a miracle no one has found you out by now!" he said angrily and Sayuri looked down in shame. She had worried them all just so she could do what she believed was her duty. Somehow though she knew she would still be here, even if they had begged her to stay.

Then her face blushed crimson. Someone did know she was a girl, even if he didn't know she was a soldier.

Tito guessed though.

"Sayuri…no one knows you're a girl, right?" he asked dangerously.

"Well…" she said timidly.

"Who knows Sayuri?"

"Okay fine! I needed to take a bath but couldn't find a private one so I went into the biggest building I could find, thinking that someone wealthy would have a private bath. I didn't know that it was actually the prince's palace!" she exclaimed. Tito's eyes widened. She went into Mali's palace and she was still in the army. This had to be some sort of jest.

"And what happened?" he managed to ask.

"Nothing really. He does know my real name but he didn't find out I was in the army." She said simply, as if it wasn't a big deal. Neither of them knew just how big it actually was.

"And that was it? Nothing else?" he wondered. He didn't know the prince to pass up on a girl.

"That's it." She said. Tito shook his head. This day had taken too much out of him. He really needed to go rest before dealing with this impossible girl.

"Please promise me you won't do something so dangerous again and that when this war is over you will never leave unannounced." He asked

"Sure." She lied. When this war was over she would definitely go back to her village. When the next war broke out though, she would go back to the army because that is what she knew would help the prince and the country the most.

* * *

I'm not going to bore you with apologies. I think we all know that our lives are busy and though i have no excuses for not writing this over the summer i think you would rather have me be writing chapters than really long apologies. but im still really sorry.


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